









































THE CITY OF YORK 

PAST AND PRESENT eg? 


By George R. Prowell 


ILLUSTRATED 


YORK. PENNSYLVANIA. 1904. 

















The following pages are intended to contain a story of the City of York, from the time it was 
founded, in 1741, down to the present century. It describes in brief the rise and growth of one of 
the most prosperous and influential cities in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This story is 
arranged in topical form for the convenience of the reader and gives in detail the important events of 
the early settlements and the period of the Revolution, in which the town and county of York took a 
very conspicuous part. 

Author 

(Person) 

28F ’07 




V 





r 



The First County Court House and Adjournment of Continental Congress at York, Pa., November, 1777, on the Reception 
of the News of Burgoyne’s Surrender. From a Drawing by Horace Bonham, Esq. 





























tbe City of York, 

S EARLY as April, 1722, Sir William Keith, 
Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Penn¬ 
sylvania, and a famous Scotch nobleman, made 
the first survey of land west of the Susquehanna river. 
Its area was 2,000 acres, and it was named Keith’s 
Newberry Tract, upon part of which the borough of 
Wrightsville was afterward built. The right to make 
settlements west of the river had not yet been obtained 
from the Indians or from the authorities of Pennsyl¬ 
vania. 

In June, 1722, Governor Keith met three tribes of 
Indians at the mouth of the Conestoga creek on the 
Lancaster county side and made a treaty with them. 

A few days later by the authority of John, Thomas and 
Richard Penn, then the proprietors of the Province, he 
crossed the Susquehanna and had a survey made of 
75,000 acres, afterward known as Springettsbury 
Manor, which when resurveyed in 1768, was limited to 
64,000 acres. It was set apart for the benefit of 
Springett Penn, the favorite grandson of William Penn, 
who had died in England in 1718. Springettsbury 


Past and Present. 

Manor extended from the Susquehanna about fifteen 
miles westward. Twelve miles west from the river in 
a direct line was the site of the future city of York on 
the banks of the Codorus. The beautiful Manor of 
Springettsbury, about nine miles in width, was then a 
virgin forest, and had been occupied from time unknown 
by wandering tribes of Indians. 

COOKSON’S PLAN OP YORK. 

It was in 1741 that Thomas Cookson, a noted sur¬ 
veyor for the Penns, was sent across the river from 
Lancaster where he resided, to lay out a town on the 
banks of the Codorus, within the Manor of Springetts¬ 
bury. He surveyed 102 acres of unoccupied lands on 
the east bank of the creek into 256 lots, each 240 feet 
long and 60 feet wide. “ Cookson’s plan of the town 
of York,” so far as is known, was not returned to the 
land office at Philadelphia, but descriptions of it state 
that the leading streets were named High or Market, 
George, King, Prince, Queen, Water and Philadelphia. 
The purchasers of lots were required to build within a 



3 


year, a dwelling house whose dimensions should not be 
less than sixteen feet square, though they might be as 
large as the owner desired. 

It was required that every house should contain a 
chimney of brick or stone. York, thus laid out in 1741 
by Thomas Cookson, was the first town west of the 
Susquehanna, and was named in honor of the ancient 
city of York, for a time the seat of the English Govern¬ 
ment, and to-day, ecclesiastically, the second city of the 
British Empire. 

At the time York was founded, there were only 
2,000 people within the present area of York county. 
Scattered bands of peaceful Indians were the neighbors 
of these sturdy pioneers from the fatherland, who built 
their first cabins in the new town on the Codorus. It 
was situated upon the Monocacy road laid out in 1739, 
which extended from the present site of Wrightsville 
across the country to western Maryland. This road 
was the first highway laid out west of the Susquehanna 
and for many years was the main line of travel to the 
south and southwest. The early settlers at York, desir¬ 
ing to carry on trade relations with settlers about fifty 
miles to the south, a road was opened in 1741 to 
Patapsco, the present site of Baltimore. 


VISIT OF JAMES LOGAN. 

In 1743, James Logan, who came to America with 
William Penn, as his private secretary, and who became 
a noted friend of the Indians, visited York to aid in 
advancing its growth and development He was then 
the secretary and afterward Chief Justice of the Prov¬ 
ince. In a letter to the Honorable Thomas Penn, he 
states that York then contained eleven houses, all erected 
on Market Street west of the Square. The settlers were 
in need of a saw mill, so he laid plans for the erection 
of such a mill on a small stream one mile south of town 
along the Patapsco road. Several dwellings were then 
in course of construction. 

The Lutherans under the leadership of Pastor 
Stoever, were erecting a building of logs for a house 
of worship on the present site of Christ Lutheran 
Church. The German Reformed settlers were building 
a log church on West Market Street where Zion Re¬ 
formed Church now stands. Logan further describes 
the difficulties these early settlers had to contend with 
in their frontier homes. » 

BECOMES THE COUNTY SEAT. 

The first permits for emigrants to settle west of the 


Susquehanna were granted in 1733, but as the Indians 
were peaceable, by 1749 there were 6,000 people within 
the present area of York county. It was in that year 
that the county of York was laid out by authority of 
the Provincial Assembly, and the new town on the 
banks of the Codorus was selected as the county seat. 

George Stevenson, an educated Englishman, came 
here in 1749 as the agent of the Penns to take charge 
of the Court Records. Five years later he addressed 
a letter to the Honorable Richard Peters, Secretary of 
the Province, stating that the new seat of justice then 
contained 210 dwelling houses and thirty in course of 
erection, the town then having a population of about 
1,000. All of the houses in York, except five, at this 
time, had been built of logs prepared at the Logan 
saw mill south of town. Three were built of brick and 
two of stone. The county Court House in Centre 
Square was being constructed of bricks by William 
Willis, a noted Quaker, who lived near town, while 
Henry Clark, of Warrington township, who had a saw 
mill on Beaver Creek was furnishing the woodwork. 

A stone jail was in process of construction at the 
northeast corner of George and King Streets. The 
early sessions of the courts were held in the houses of 


the provincial justices until the Court House in Centre 
Square had been completed in 1756. These justices 
were appointed by the provincial authorities, from three 
to five of them sitting at each session of the court. 
They administered the laws of the King of England, 
from whom William Penn had obtained a grant for the 
Province of Pennsylvania. These justices were not 
lawyers by profession, but representative men among 
the early settlers. This plan of holding courts con¬ 
tinued in York and other seats of justice in Pennsyl¬ 
vania until the Constitution of 1790 was adopted. It 
was then that the courts were first presided over by 
men learned in the law. 

In front of the colonial Court House in Centre 
Square, stocks and the pillory were erected for the pun¬ 
ishment of criminals in accordance with the old English 
law. Behind the jail, offenders, convicted of certain 
crimes, were often taken to the whipping post and 
given twenty or more lashes on the bare back, as a 
mode of punishment. A cat-o’-nine-tails used in colo¬ 
nial days at York is still in existence. At certain inter¬ 
vals the Justice of the Supreme Court of the Province 
came here to try important cases. Among the learned 
men who came on this mission before the Revolution, 


were the distinguished jurists, Benjamin Chew and 
James Logan, who, as has been stated, was sent to 
York two years after it was founded. 

THE FOUNDING OF CHURCHES. 

Immediately after permits were granted to purchase 
lands west of the Susquehanna, in 1781, numerous 
German emigrants located on what are now the fertile' 
limestone lands of the valley, extending from the Sus¬ 
quehanna westward to the vicinity of Hanover. With 
them came some English Quakers and Episcopalians, 
but the vast body of them were Germans—Lutherans> 
Reformed and Moravians. These people brought with 
them the principles taught in the Fatherland, from 
whence most of them had lately come, and in Septem¬ 
ber, 1733, the Lutherans took steps for the organization 
of a congregation, the first one of this denomination 
west of the Susquehanna, holding their meetings origi¬ 
nally in the homes of early settlers. 

The contributors to the purchase of the first record 
book for the members of this congregation, in Septem¬ 
ber, 1733, together with the times of the arrival of 
some of them to America, were recorded in the first 
pages of this historic book now in the possession of 
the vestry of Christ Lutheran Church. 


When Congress sat in York during the Revolution 
some of the members were entertained at the home of 
the pastor, Rev. Nicholas Kurtz. These members as 
well as other delegates to Congress often attended the 
religious services of this church. 

For nearly a century religious services were con¬ 
ducted by this congregation in the German language. 
Meantime the old log church was replaced by a stone 
building. In 1813 the present church edifice was 
erected. English services were occasionally held in 
1826, and ten years later St. Paul’s Lutheran Church 
was founded for the purpose of conducting religious 
services entirely in the English language. 

Members of the Reformed Church held religious 
services under the direction of the renowned missionary, 
Rev. Michael Schlatter, in their homes in the vicinity 
of York before the town had been laid out, and in 
1743, Zion Reformed Church, on West Market Street, 
was founded. The congregation grew rapidly under 
the leadership of the Rev. Jacob Lischy, an educated 
German whose eloquence attracted the attention of all 
his hearers. It was in the second church building 
owned by this congregation that members of Conti¬ 
nental Congress frequently attended service while the 


sessions of that body were held in York during the 
dark days of the Revolution; and were addressed 
at different times by Bishop White and Rev. Dr. 
George Duffield, chaplains. The pastor of the congre¬ 
gation during the eventful period was Rev. Daniel 
Wagner. The remains of Philip Livingston, a distin¬ 
guished patriot from the State of New York and one of 
the signers of the Declaration of Independence, were 
buried in 1778 in the yard in the rear of this church. 
In 1856 they were removed to Prospect Hill Ceme¬ 
tery where they now rest. A beautiful marble shaft 
marks this historic spot. In 1791, George Washing¬ 
ton, while visiting York on his return to Philadelphia, 
the National Capital, after making a tour of the South¬ 
ern States, listened to a sermon in this church. This 
sermon was preached by the pastor of the congrega¬ 
tion, in the German language, and the distinguished 
soldier who was then President of the United States, 
says in his diary: “ There was no danger of the 

preacher making a proselyte of me by the eloquence of 
his speech, not a word of which I understood.” The 
President further states in his diary that there were no 
services on that day in the Episcopal Church which he 
regularly attended, and hence he went to the German 


Reformed Church. There was a special reason why 
the first President of the United States should bow his 
head in reverence to Almighty God in this house of 
worship, for within its sacred walls the illustrious 
patriot, Robert Morris, at a special session of Congress, 
representing the sentiment of the Commander-in-Chief 
at Yalley Forge, declared in eloquent words that the 
American Congress would accept no overtures of peace 
from the English government without the withdrawal 
of the British Army and the acknowledgment of our 
Independence. 

Among the earliest settlers at York were a few 
members of the Church of England, who were occa¬ 
sionally visited by missionaries of the Society for the 
Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, before the 
Revolution. The exact date when St. John’s Church 
was organized cannot be given, but in June, 1765, Rev. 
Thomas Barton, who had just returned from England, 
whither he went to be ordained, instituted stated wor¬ 
ship. No record remains of the place where such 
services were held. For nearly a decade he was a 
zealous missionary at York, Carlisle and York Springs, 
and with large hearted charity even sought the conver¬ 
sion of the Indians. His letters to the Society are full 


of this truly missionary work among the aborigines of 
the soil. To his office of priest he added that of sol¬ 
dier, for in the troublesome times with the French and 
hostile Indians, he organized his people for defense 
against their allied foes; and so much did he distin¬ 
guish himself in this patriotic service that his conduct 
was spoken of in a letter from Philadelphia to John 
Penn, proprietor of Pennsylvania. 

The Scotch Presbyterians were the first settlers to 
take up lands in the southeastern and extreme western 
sections of York county, arriving there ten years before 
York was founded. Their first church was built at the 
union of Scott’s Eun and Muddy Creek in Peach 
Bottom township. Soon afterward another Presby¬ 
terian congregation was organized in the Marsh Creek 
district. While the Scotch-Irish took a prominent part 
in the affairs in York county, they had no church 
organization in York until after the Bevolution. 

For several years a little band of Presbyterians, 
without any formal church organization, were minis¬ 
tered to by the Eev. Mr. Hanna, of the Presbytery of 
Carlisle. In 1785, George Erwin, William Scott and 
Archibald McLean purchased the lot on the comer of 
Market and Queen Streets, “ in trust for the use of the 


Eeligious Society of English Presbyterians.” On this 
lot in 1790, the first house of worship was erected, a 
plain brick building. In March, 1793, this congregation 
was united with the Eound Hill Church, in Hopewell 
township, in a call to the Eev. Eobert Cathcart of the 
Presbytery of Philadelphia, which was accepted. This 
venerable clergyman continued as pastor for the long 
period of thirty years. 

Among the first Germans who purchased lots in 
1741, at the laying out of the town of York, were a 
number of Moravians. Services were held in this 
county by Moravian missionaries as early as 1744. 
Sometime before this, missionaries of this denomination 
conducted services among the Indians and the first 
settlers. Before there were any permanent settlements 
there was a trail or route for the devoted missionaries 
of this church from their famous settlement at Bethle¬ 
hem, founded by Count Zinzendorf, across York county 
to western Maryland and Virginia. In 1751, Eev. John 
Philip Meurer was the first regular pastor, and during 
that year organized a congregation, which worshiped 
in private houses until 1755, when a stone church was 
built at the corner of Princess and Water Streets. 

Eev. John Eoth, pastor of this church during the 



VIEW OF YORK IN 1850. FROM A PHOTOGRAPH MADE BY JOHN T. WILLIAMS. 






























































































































































































































Revolution, kept a diary of events which transpired 
while Continental Congress was in session here. Sev¬ 
eral of the members of Congress lodged at his house 
and enjoyed his hospitality. In one entry of his diary 
he laments the fact that some delegates to Congress 
were wicked enough to attend a ball. 

In the early history of the settlement of York 
county, nearly all the emigrants who located north of 
the Conewago creek, were members of the Society of 
Friends. Some came from England, but the vast num¬ 
ber of them from New Castle and Chester counties. 
As early as 1738, what are termed “indulged meetings,” 
were organized in the townships of Newberry and War¬ 
rington. Inasmuch as the Province of Pennsylvania 
was largely at this time under Quaker rule, when the 
county was organized, three of the five persons 
appointed as commissioners to make the division, were 
members of the Society of Friends. John Wright, of 
Wright’s Ferry, was one of them; Thomas Cox, of 
Warrington, another, and Nathan Hussey, of Newberry, 
the third. When the county seat was located at York, 
and the courts organized, they manifested their import¬ 
ance in the management of the county affairs. As the 
courts were held by justices appointed for that purpose, 


the name of John Day, who resided then (1749) at his 
“mill property,” twelve and a half miles north of York, 
was first on the list. In consequence he became the 
first presiding court justice. He was a member of the 
Newberry meeting. John Blackburn, one of his suc¬ 
cessors, was a member of the Warrington meeting. 
Business brought them to York, and a number of them 
soon purchased property in the town and vicinity. 
Prominent among the first was Nathan Hussey, who 
had settled in Newberry in 1735, coming from New 
Castle county, Delaware. Nathan Hussey, William 
Willis and a few others located in the vicinity of York 
about 1750. In 1754 they obtained permission of the 
Warrington monthly meeting to hold an “indulged 
meeting ” in York. The original meeting house which 
is yet standing is located on West Philadelphia, 
between Beaver and Water Streets. 

The first religious services of the Methodist Epis¬ 
copal Church were conducted by Rev. Freeborn Garret- 
son, January 24, 1781, at the farmhouse of James 
Worley, now owned by Jacob Loucks, on West York 
Avenue, extended. This noted apostle of Methodism 
afterward preached the Gospel in all the states from 
Nova Scotia to the Gulf of Mexico, and during the 


later years of his life, his labors were confined to the 
city of New York. James Worley, at whose residence 
the first Methodist services were held, while on a visit 
to Baltimore, was deeply impressed with the fervent 
eloquence of Freeborn Garretson and invited him to 
come to York, which invitation was accepted. A large 
audience assembled. The next day he left for Carlisle, 
stopping on his way and preaching at Lewisberry, 
which was then composed of but half a dozen houses. 
The people in and around York were confused with his 
new doctrines and his sermon called forth excited 
debates. He was invited to return. In James Worley’s 
farmhouse he preached several sermons. Being a man 
of great force of character and eloquence, his preaching 
resulted in securing Mr. Worley and his family and 
many others to adopt his faith. Under these circum¬ 
stances the first Methodist congregation was organized 
in the limits of York county. A building was soon 
afterward erected in York on the present site of the 
First United Brethren Church. 

In 1840 the Mission Society of the Otterbein Church 
of the United Brethren in Christ, of Baltimore, estab¬ 
lished a mission in York and sent Bev. Christian S. 
Crider to begin the work. He organized a congregation 


which purchased the Methodist meeting-house at the 
northwest corner of Philadelphia and Newberry Streets, 
where the First United Brethren Church now stands. 

The Evangelical Association originated in Pennsyl¬ 
vania in 1800. A few years later, its founder, the Rev. 
Jacob Albright, conducted services at York, preaching 
at the open meetings in front of the Continental Court 
House in Centre Square. The first house of worship 
erected by this church body in York county was situated 
near Shrewsbury, in 1822. The first congregation in 
York was organized in 1842, under the leadership of 
Dr. George Brickley, a physician, who also introduced 
into the borough of York the practice of homeopathy. 

The German Baptists came to York county w r ith the 
earliest emigrants from the Fatherland, settling along 
the Bermudian Creek and in the vicinity of Hanover. 
The members of this church body were the first Ger¬ 
mans to settle in Pennsylvania, coming to Germantown, 
by invitation of William Penn, founder of the Province, 
a few years after his arrival. The Sauer Press of 
Germantown and the Ephrata Press, in Lancaster 
county, published more books before the Revolution 
than all the other presses in America. Both these 
presses were owned by the German Baptists. 



ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN 1770 









































John Digges, an Irish nobleman, of Prince George’s 
county, Md., obtained the right from Lord Baltimore 
for a tract of 10,000 acres, on part of which the borough 
of Hanover was afterward built. Some of the first 
settlers coming there as early as 1730, were members 
of the Catholic Church. A few years later a congrega¬ 
tion was organized which was ministered to by travel¬ 
ling missionaries. The first Catholic Church in York, 
a stone building situated on the present site of St. 
Patrick’s Church on South Beaver Street, was dedicated 
and consecrated in 1776, the year the Declaration of 
Independence was signed. 

HOME LIFE OF OUR ANCESTORS. 

The earliest inhabitants of York and vicinity lived 
on peaceable terms with the Indians of the Western 
frontier for a period of twenty years after they took up 
the lands of this region. These industrious settlers 
engaged in clearing the land, building their cabins and 
raising small crops of wheat, rye, corn, flax and pota¬ 
toes. Saw-mills and grist-mills were built along the 
streams as well as fulling and carding mills for the 
manufacture of woolen goods for clothing; the flax 
brake and the spinning wheel were in every home, for 


linen goods and towcloth were often used in making 
garments for summer wear. In the town of York 
various mechanics plied their trades, and the gunsmith, 
shoemaker, hatter, clockmaker and tailor came with the 
first settlers. So long as the Indians remained quiet 
and peaceable along the eastern slopes of the Alleghany 
Mountains, this life of our forefathers was almost ideal. 
The forests were abundant with game, the streams were 
well supplied with the choicest fish; the native soil 
yielded large crops, while the hickory and chestnut 
forests produced great quantities of nuts, and wild 
fruits were found everywhere. 

FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. 

But there was a storm brewing in Western Pennsyl¬ 
vania. Insidious French settlers were laying claim to 
the Ohio valley, and in order to effect their purpose, 
they had incited the Delawares and other tribes of 
Indians to be unfriendly toward the English and Ger¬ 
man settlers in Eastern Pennsylvania. In fact the 
Indians became allies with the French in erecting forts 
and other defenses in Western Pennsylvania. Benjamin 
Franklin and two associates in 1754 had a conference 
with Indian chiefs at the Croghan Fort above the site 


of Harrisburg and at the new town of Carlisle in the 
Cumberland valley. They succeeded in part in recon¬ 
ciling the Indians, but the French had erected Fort 
Duquesne, where Pittsburg now stands, and two other 
forts some distance to the north. Sir William Pitt, 
then the Premier of England, persuaded the King to 
send General Edward Braddock, an officer of distinc¬ 
tion in the English Army, with two regiments of troops 
to this country for the purpose of driving the French 
from our Western frontier. Braddock landed in Vir¬ 
ginia where he met George Washington, then a young 
man, who volunteered to join Braddock as an aide on 
his staff. Two thousand provincial troops were ordered 
to be raised from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. 

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AT YORK. 

Benjamin Franklin, then a leading spirit in the 
Pennsylvania assembly, came to York in the summer 
of 1755 and soon afterward met General Braddock at 
Frederick, Md. He found that this English officer 
had only twenty-five wagons to transport his stores and 
baggage across the Alleghany Mountains. He needed 
150 wagons and Franklin returned to York and Lancas¬ 
ter and sent his son, Bichard, to Carlisle, offering 15 shil¬ 


lings a day for a wagon with a driver and four horses, 2 
shillings a day for each horse with a pack saddle or other 
saddle, and 18 pence for a horse without a saddle. By 
pledging his own properly as security, and paying for 
each team partly in advance, he secured the 150 wagons. 
Soon afterward Sir John St. Clair, a Scotch baronet, 
quarter-master of the Braddock expedition, came to 
York and Carlisle to secure 1,200 barrels of flour for 
this expedition. He obtained the flour from the grist¬ 
mills in these counties. Then, returning to Braddock’s 
Army, composed of nearlv 3,000 men, St. Clair with 800 
picked men cut the new road across the mountains to¬ 
wards Fort Duquesne. Against the judgment of the 
youthful Washington, General Braddock advanced too 
hastily and was met a few miles east of the present site 
of Pittsburg, where he was defeated, losing sixty officers, 
himself being among the killed. It was an inglorious 
defeat to the British Army. In this battle Washing¬ 
ton had two horses shot under him and four balls 
passed through his clothing. Only 400 men came out 
of the fight unharmed. The provincial troops served 
with more valor than the English regulars, and Colonel 
Dunbar commanding the survivors marched to Phila¬ 
delphia. The triumphs of the Indians in defeating 



YORK FRIENDS’ MEETING HOUSE. 



CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH, PARSONAGE AND SCHOOL HOUSE, 1760-1812 

































































































s 














































































Braddock incited them to hostility against all the 
settlers of Pennsylvania. They began at once to make 
depredations on the frontier parts of the Province east of 
the mountains, and most of the settlers fled across the Sus¬ 
quehanna. Men, women and children came in large num¬ 
bers through York to cross the river at Wrights’ Ferry. 

George Stevenson, the agent of the Penns at York, 
wrote a letter to Richard Peters, secretary of the 
Province at Philadelphia, stating .that -the condition of 
affairs at York was alarming in the highest degree, for 
he expected the town would soon be visited by hostile 
Indians with the firebrand and the scalping knife. 
James Smith, afterward a signer of the Declaration of 
Independence, John Adlum, Herman Updegraff and 
Thomas Armour, Court Justices of York county, ad¬ 
dressed letters to the Governor asking for arms and 
ammunition for companies about to be raised for de¬ 
fence, stating that one company, armed and equipped, 
commanded by Hance Hamilton, the first sheriff of 
York county, had already gone to the frontier. They 
further stated that hostile Indians were within one day’s 
march of Harris’ Ferry, and two days’ march of York. 
Recruiting began at once at York and throughout the 
county and five companies were raised. Rev. Thomas 


Barton, missionary for the Episcopal Church at York, 
Carlisle and York Springs, commanded one company; 
Rev. John Bay, Presbyterian clergyman, raised another. 
All ministers of the Gospel were urged by the Provincial 
authorities to rouse their members to prepare for de¬ 
fensive operations. Captain Hance Hamilton with sixty 
Scotch-Irishmen, marched to Fort Littleton, a defense 
in the present region of Fulton county. Captain David 
Jameson, a physician of York, went with a company to 
Fort Augusta, on the present site of Sunbury. A line 
of fortifications and blockhouses had been built from 
the Delaware River along the eastern slope of the Alle¬ 
ghany Mountains to the Maryland line. 

It was determined now to send an expedition to defeat 
the Indians who were behind strong fortifications at 
Kitanning along the Alleghany River, forty miles north¬ 
east of Pittsburg. Colonel John Armstrong, of Carlisle, 
was in command. Captain Hance Hamilton, with his 
sixty men from York county, did valiant service in this 
expedition, which resulted in the complete rout of the 
Indians. This occurred in 1756. 

FORBES’ EXPEDITION. 

The Provincial soldiers being successful with this 
affair, it was determined by Sir William Pitt, the next 


year, to organize an expedition for the conquest of the 
French and Indians at Fort Duquesne. General Forbes, 
a trained soldier from England, and with more sagacity 
than Braddock, was placed in charge of this expedition. 
He had under his command an army of 1,200 High¬ 
landers, 350 royal Americans, and about 5,000 Provin¬ 
cial soldiers from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, 
including 2,000 Yirginians under the command of 
Colonel George Washington. Many of these troops 
passed through York. 'G-eneral Forbes then rendez¬ 
voused at Carlisle. The Pennsylvania troops, about 
2,000 in number, were under the command of Colonel 
Bouquet, a Swiss patriot who had an experience of 
several years in European wars. The Forbes expedi¬ 
tion was a brilliant success and ended the French and 
Indian War, so far as Pennsylvania was concerned. 
The French were driven from Fort Duquesne down the 
Ohio River, and their Indian allies fled in dismay to the 
north and west. A new defense was built on the same 
site, which was named Fort Pitt, in honor of Sir William 
Pitt, the great English statesman, who had projected 
this expedition. Dr. David Jameson of York was major 
of the 2nd Battalion, commanded by Colonel James 
Burd; James Ewing, then living a few miles east of 


York and who became a brigadier-general in the Revo¬ 
lution, was adjutant of the 3d Battalion, commanded by 
Colonel Hugh Mercer, the bosom friend of Washington. 
Archibald McGrew, Robert McPherson and Thomas 
Hamilton, from York county, were captains in Mercer’s 
Battalion. That brilliant soldier, Hance Hamilton, was 
major of Armstrong’s Battalion. 

YORK IN THE REVOLUTION. 

The inhabitants of York and vicinity after the defeat 
of the French at Fort Duquesne were never endangered 
by incursions from the Indians. They turned their 
attention to the arts of peace. The little town on the 
Codorus received a new impetus of life. Many new 
houses were built so that the population was soon in¬ 
creased to 1,500. But there was trouble ahead for 
these honest burghers of York and the tillers of the 
soil in the surrounding country and all over the thirteen 
American colonies, which had been founded and settled 
by the authority of the English Government It was 
charged by the American colonists that the mother 
country was enforcing tyrannical laws which encroached 
upon the civil rights of American subjects. What is 
known to history as the Boston Port Bill caused dis- 


sension from New Hampshire to Georgia. Meetings 
were held in opposition to the laws which were being 
enforced by the King and Parliament. They were held 
in all the centres of population. One of these was 
convened at York in 1774, being presided over by 
Michael Swope, afterward a colonel in the Revolution. 
At this meeting it was decided by a unanimous vote 
that the inhabitants of York would support their 
brethren in Philadelphia and other parts of the colonies 
in asking for redress, and relief for the distressed con¬ 
dition of the inhabitants of Boston. Delegates were 
appointed to attend the first Provincial Conference at 
Philadelphia. James Smith attended this conference 
and, soon after his return home, organized at York in 
1774, the first military company in America to oppose 
British oppression and to defend the rights of the 
colonists. The following year Smith was made a 
colonel of the militia for the Province of Pennsylvania. 

YORK TROOPS AT BOSTON. 

The tocsin of war was sounded by the speech of 
Patrick Henry before the Virginia assembly at Rich¬ 
mond, which was soon followed by the attack on the 
Provincial forces of Massachusetts at Concord and 


Lexington. The patriotic ardor of the citizens of York 
and vicinity had now been aroused to the highest pitch 
when they heard that a great battle had been fought at 
Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775. Thirteen days after this 
event a company of York soldiers, under the command 
of Michael Doudel, with Henry Miller and John Clark 
as lieutenants, began the march to Boston, where they 
arrived July 25, being the first troops west of the 
Hudson and south of Long Island to join the American 
forces near that city. Although tired and worn by 
their long march of 500 miles, with undaunted courage, 
they offered their services to General Washington im¬ 
mediately after their arrival, and asked that they be 
permitted to capture a British transport on the Charles 
River. The commander-in-chief commended them for 
their patriotism, but thought the proposition inexpedi¬ 
ent at that time. A few days later Washington detailed 
them to capture some British sentinels, in order that he 
might learn from them the enemy’s purpose in erecting 
certain earthworks in front of the American encamp¬ 
ment. This daring feat was accomplished by Captain 
Doudel’s company with the loss of one man, Corporal 
Cruise, a gallant soldier, who lingered for several 
months in a British prison in London. The trained 


riflemen from York succeeded in killing several of the 
enemy and bringing prisoners to the headquarters of 
Washington at Cambridge. 

The martial spirit was now rife in the town and 
county of York, for in the fall of 1775 five battalions 
of militia were organized, commanded respectively by 
Colonel James Smith of York, Robert McPherson of 
Marsh Creek, Richard McAllister of Hanover, Colonel 
Wm. Smith of Chanceford, and Wm. Rankin of New¬ 
berry township. These battalions were under regular 
drill and discipline for several months. Near the close 
of 1775, one company was selected from each battalion 
and a regiment of “Minute Men” organized, with 
Richard McAllister, Colonel; Thomas Hartley, Lieu¬ 
tenant-Colonel, and David Grier, Major. Soon after¬ 
ward a part of this command joined the first expedition 
for the conquest of Canada. 

During this year and the remainder of the Revolu¬ 
tion, the spirit of war was constantly impressed upon 
the people of York by the passage of troops from the 
southern states to join Washington’s Army, and often 
British prisoners were brought here, or escorted to Fred¬ 
erick, Md., Winchester and other points in Virginia. 

On the 26th of March, 1777, commissioners from 


the six middle states met at York for the purpose of 
regulating the price of labor, manufactured goods and 
internal produce. Lewis Burwell, of Virginia, presided 
and Caesar Rodney was one of the delegates. They sat 
more than two months and the result of their labors 
was a recommendation adopted November 22, 1777, 
that several states should become creditors of the 
United States, by raising for the Continental treasury 
$5,000,000 in quarterly installments. 

PATRIOTISM AND VALOR OP YORK SOLDIERS. 

In this brief story of historic York, it is impossible 
to give the details of the part taken by the patriotic 
men of the town and county in the Revolution. Let it 
suffice to say that they showed a valor and patriotism 
unexcelled in any part of the thirteen original states. 
In the early part of 1776, there were four armed and 
equipped companies in the town of York, and about 
3,000 militia throughout the county, then including 
Adams, ready to march to the front if their services 
were wanted. Many of these soldiers took part in the 
battles of Brandywine and Germantown, and in subse¬ 
quent campaigns under Washington. Colonel Swope’s 
regiment from York and vicinity won distinction at 




The Globe Inn, where Lafayette was entertained In 1825. 



COL. THOMAS HARTLEY. MRS. HARTLEY 

























































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Long Island and Fort Washington; James Ewing took 
command of the famous Flying Camp in 1776, and rose 
to the rank of a Brigadier-General; Colonel Thomas 
Hartley, a man of high intellect as well as patriotic 
valor, led his men to victory on several fields of battle; 
General Henry Miller, a bold and dashing soldier, 
received the commendations of the commander-in-chief 
for saving the left wing of the army from defeat at the 
Battle of Princeton ; Colonel Richard McAllister, after 
organizing the militia of York county, marched with 
the regiment, which was conspicuous for its bravery at 
Long Island and at White Plains ; Colonel John Hay, 
who succeeded him as sub-lieutenant of York county 
and Colonel Matthew Dill, his associate, also won a 
reputation for bravery in the field; Major John Clark 
received the highest praise for his success at Long 
Island, and at the request of Washington, was placed 
on the staff of General Greene, next to the commander- 
in-chief, the greatest American soldier of that period; 
Colonel David Grier, a hero of the campaign to Canada 
received two serious wounds at the famous Battle of 
Paoli, under General Wayne; and Major Joseph 
Prowell, with a battalion of 400 men, led the advance 
of Sullivan’s expedition into the Wyoming Valley to 


drive out the hostile Indians. The achievements of 
these sons of York county, and the gallant soldiers who 
fought under them, have added lustre to the pages of 
American history. They won a record for military 
achievement, worthy of being handed down to future 
generations. 

James Smith, a practicing lawyer at York, became 
one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. 
His remains now lie in the Presbyterian Church yard 
on East Market Street. His speeches, while a member 
of Congress, show that he possessed ability of a high 
order. He died at the advanced age of 92. 

Colonel Hartley, famed as a soldier, also represented 
York county in Congress for nearly twelve years, and 
was the first Pennsylvania lawyer to be admitted to the 
Supreme Court of the United States. 

It was shortly after the defeat of the American 
Army at Brandywine, in September, 1777, that Conti¬ 
nental Congress adjourned from Independence H al l in 
Philadelphia, to meet in Lancaster, Pa. 

YORK, THE NATION’S CAPITAL. 

To avoid being captured by the British, the govern¬ 
ment documents and the small amount of money then 



in the treasury, were sent to Bethlehem in wagons, 
carefully guarded by two regiments of troops. The 
members of Congress, themselves, from the thirteen 
original states, started on horseback for Bethlehem, 
where they spent Sunday, and attended services at the 
Moravian Church. The following day they proceeded 
toward Lancaster, where the State Legislature of Penn¬ 
sylvania was then in session. Only one day’s session 
was held in Lancaster when it was decided that “ the 
Susquehanna should flow between Congress and the 
enemy,” and it adjourned to York, which then con¬ 
tained 286 houses and about 1,500 inhabitants. 

Coming up the road from Wright’s Ferry on one 
calm September afternoon of the eventful year of 1777, 
were these illustrious men, whose acts and deeds dur¬ 
ing this dark period of the Revolution have given lustre 
to the? pages of American History. 

Among this band of patriots whose intelligence and 
foresight astonished the nations of the world, were 
John Hancock, Samuel Adams and John Adams, of 
Massachusetts; James Duane, William Duer and 
Gouvemeur Morris, of New York; Roger Sherman and 
Charles Marchant, of Connecticut; Robert Morris, Gen¬ 
eral Roberdeau and James Smith, of Pennsylvania; 


Charles Carroll, of Maryland; Richard Henry Lee, 
Benjamin Harrison (ancestor of two presidents) and 
Francis Lightfoot Lee, of Virginia; Dr. Witherspoon, 
of New Jersey, and Henry Laurens, of South Carolina. 
These men were eminent as statesmen, and twenty-six 
of them the year before, had appended their names to 
that immortal document, the Declaration of Independ¬ 
ence. When Congress assembled in York on the first 
day of October, 1777, in the historic old Court House, 
which stood in Centre Square, it beheld the chief cities 
of the country in the hands of the enemy and a shat¬ 
tered and dispirited army retreating before a conquer¬ 
ing foe. The battle of Brandywine had just ended in 
favor of the invading British army, whose numbers 
were nearly double those of the Americans. In the 
meantime, Washington was reinvested by Congress, 
with extraordinary powers, for sixty days, and soon 
afterward took up his winter quarters at Yalley Forge. 

The little band of patriots, which assembled daily in 
the Court House in York, had increased its member¬ 
ship, by the arrival of newly elected delegates in 
October. It sat with closed doors. None but the 
members of Congress and occasionally a few govern¬ 
ment officials, were allowed to hear the debates on the 



The House Where Thomas Paine Wrote His Fifth Crisis’* During the Revolution. 



RESIDENCE OF BALTZER SPANGLER, BUILT 1760 































































































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momentous questions that engaged their attention. In 
a building at one corner of Centre Square, Michael 
Hillegas, Treasurer of the United States, kept the ac¬ 
counts of the government; a short distance away, John 
Adams presided over the Board of War, whose duty it 
was to administer to the wants of the army, the same 
as the War Department of to-day. The President of 
Congress was John Hancock, of Massachusetts, who 
was then the wealthiest man in the United States. He 
rented the largest house obtainable in York and some 
of the other members lodged at his residence. As the 
executive head of the nation he lived in considerable 
style, and his household expenses were paid by the 
government. All the other members were required to 
pay their own expenses and received a small annual 
salary paid by the States they represented. Early in 
November John Hancock resigned as President of Con¬ 
gress, and Henry Laurens, of South Carolina, was 
chosen his successor. 

Of the members of Continental Congress during 
the entire period of the Revolution, none were more 
zealous in legislating for the prosecution of the war 
than Samuel Adams, of Massachusetts. He was a 
man of lofty patriotism and unbounded energy. The 


English Government blamed John Hancock and Samuel 
Adams more than any others for the origin of the war, 
and a reward of $25,000 was offered for the capture of 
either of them. Both Hancock and Adams, if ever 
captured, were to be denied pardon for their alleged 
treason to the mother country. With Adams as the 
leader of Congress while in York, the struggle for 
liberty was simply a matter of life or death. Success 
in establishing freedom would send him down to pos¬ 
terity, honored by all future generations; failure pointed 
to the prison cell and the ignominy of a rebel doomed 
to the scaffold. Everything seemed dark and gloomy 
during the early days of October, 1777, and some of 
the members of Congress were almost ready to give up 
the struggle in despair and accept the overtures of peace 
offered by the British Government. 

Washington had not yet loomed up as the dominant 
personality of the Revolution. About this time John 
Adams made the following entry in his diary: 

“The prospect is chilling on every side, gloomy, 
dark, melancholy and dispiriting. When and where 
will light come from ? Shall we have good news from 
Europe? Shall we hear of a blow struck by Gates 
against Burgoyne ? Is there a possibility that Wash- 


ington may yet defeat Howe? Is there a possibility 
that McDougall and Dickinson shall destroy the British 
detachment in New Jersey ? If Philadelphia is lost, is 
the cause of Independence lost?” Then he continues: 
“No, the cause is not lost. Heaven grant us one great 
soul. One leading mind would extricate the best cause 
from the ruins that seem to await it. "We have as good 
a cause as ever was fought for. One active, masterly 
capacity would bring order out of this confusion and 
save our country.” 

SAMUEL ADAMS’ GKEAT SPEECH. 

The affairs of the new bom nation for a time were 
controlled by a few men, who met regularly in a caucus 
at the home of General Roberdeau, of Pennsylvania, 
who lived in a rented house nearly opposite Christ 
Lutheran church, on South George street. Many of 
the leaders in Congress, including Henry Laurens, 
Benjamin Harrison, Dr. Witherspoon, Richard Henry 
Lee, Elbridge Gerry and John and Samuel Adams 
lodged in this house. It was here on one October 
night of 1777, that Samuel Adams called a caucus. 
After obtaining the views of the different members, 
some of whom were very despondent, Samuel Adams 


rose and delivered one of the most eloquent and 
impressive speeches in American history, as follows: 

“Gentlemen: Your spirits seem oppressed with 
the weight of public calamities, and your sadness of 
countenance reveals your disquietude. A patriot may 
grieve at the disasters of his country, but he will never 
despair of the commonwealth. Our affairs are said to 
be desperate, but we are not without hope and not with¬ 
out courage. The eyes of the people of this country 
are upon us here, and the tone of their feeling is regu¬ 
lated by ours. If we as delegates in Congress give up 
in despair, and grow desperate, public confidence will 
be destroyed and American liberty will be no more. 

“But we are not driven to such straits. Though 
fortune has been unpropitious, our conditions are not 
desperate; our burdens though grievous, can still be 
borne; our losses though great, can be retrieved. 
Through the darkness that shrouds our prosperity, the 
ark of safety is visible. 

“Despondency, gentlemen, becomes not the dignity 
of our cause, nor the character of the Nation’s Repre¬ 
sentatives in Congress. Let us then be aroused and 
evince a spirit of patriotism that shall inspire the peo¬ 
ple with confidence in us, in themselves and in the 











Oldest House in York, Built in 1745 




West Market Street, East of Codorus Creek, in 1844 















































cause of our Country. Let us show a spirit that will 
induce them to persevere in this struggle, until our 
rights shall be established and our liberty secured. 

“We have proclaimed to the world our determina¬ 
tion to die free men, rather than live slaves; we have 
appealed to Heaven for the.justice of our cause and in 
the God of battle have we placed our trust. We have 
looked to Providence for help and protection in the 
past; we must appeal to the same source in the future, 
for the Almighty Powers from above will sustain us in 
this struggle for independence. 

“There have been times since the opening of this 
war when we were reduced almost to distress, but the 
great arm of Omnipotence has raised us up. Let us 
still rely for assistance upon Him who is mighty to 
save. We shall not be abandoned by the Powers above 
so long as we act worthy of aid and protection. The 
darkest hour is just before the dawn. Good new^ may 
soon reach us from the army and from across the 'sea.” 

The patriotic fervor of the speaker on this occg,sion 
thrilled the small audience and gave them renewed 
energy in the passage of legislation to aid in carrying 
on the war. 

It was not long after this event that a relative of 


General Israel Putnam, one of the heroes of the Revo¬ 
lution, brought to Congress the glad news of the defeat 
of the British at Saratoga by General Gates and the 
surrender of the entire army under General Burgoyne. 
A few days later the official account of this brilliant 
victory and conquest was brought to Congress by 
Colonel Wilkinson, a member of General Gates’ staff. 
He spent one day before Congress explaining the details 
of the battle and surrender. The next day was given 
to a general rejoicing in the town of York. This vic¬ 
tory at Saratoga was the Gettysburg of the Revolution, 
for it turned the tide of affairs in favor of the American 
cause. 


FIRST NATIONAL THANKSGIVING. 

President Laurens appointed Richard Henry Lee, 
of Virginia, Samuel Adams, of Massachusetts, and 
General Roberdeau, of Pennsylvania, a committee of 
Congress to draft a national proclamation of Thanks¬ 
giving, the first in the history of the American Republic. 
This historic document was written by that eminent 
Virginian, Richard Henry Lee, who less than two years 
before had moved in Congress at Philadelphia, that 
“ these United States are and of right ought to be free 


and independent States,” and himself became one of 
the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The 
proclamation is remarkable in language and thought. 
Besides breathing forth a spirit of lofty patriotism, it 
also contains a deep and fervent religious sentiment. 

The following is the proclamation in full: 

“Forasmuch as it is the indispensable duty of all 
men to adore the superintending providence of Almighty 
God, to acknowledge with gratitude their obligations 
for benefits received, and to implore such further bless¬ 
ings as they stand in need of; and it having pleased 
Him in His abundant mercy, not only to continue to us 
the innumerable bounties of His common Providence, 
but also to smile upon us in the prosecution of a just 
and necessary war for the defense and establishment of 
our inalienable rights and liberties; particularly in 
that He has been pleased in so great a measure to 
prosper the means used for the support of our troops 
and to crown our amis with most signal success. It is 
therefore recommended to the legislature or executive 
powers of these United States to set apart Thursday, 
the 18th of December next, for solemn Thanksgiving 
and praise; that with one heart and one voice, the peo¬ 
ple of this country may express the grateful feelings of 


their hearts and consecrate themselves to the service of 
their Divine Benefactor; and that together with their 
sincere acknowledgments, they may join in a penitent 
confession of their manifold sins, whereby they had 
forfeited every favor; and their humble and earnest 
supplication may be that it may please God, through 
the merits of Jesus Christ mercifully to forgive and 
blot them out of remembrance ; that it may please Him 
graciously, to grant His blessings on the governments of 
these States respectively and prosper the Public Council 
of the whole United States; to inspire our command¬ 
ers, both by land and sea, and all under them, with 
that wisdom and fortitude, which may render them fit 
instruments under the Providence of Almighty God to 
secure for these United States, the greatest of all bless¬ 
ings, independence and peace; that it may please Him 
to prosper the trade and manufactures of the people, 
and the labor of the husbandman, that our land may 
yield its increase; to take the schools and seminaries 
of education, so neccessary for cultivating the princi¬ 
ples of true liberty, virtue and piety, under His nurtur¬ 
ing hand, and to prosper the means of religion, for pro¬ 
motion and enlargement of that Kingdom, which con¬ 
sists of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. 


It is further recommended that servile labor and such 
recreation as at other times innocent, may be unbecom¬ 
ing the purpose of this appointment on so solemn occa¬ 
sion.” 

This proclamation was adopted by Congress Octo¬ 
ber 30th, and two days later the President of Congress 
wrote the following letter to each of the Governors of 
the thirteen States then in the Union : 

York in Pennsylvania, November 1, 1777. 

Sir:—The arms of the United States of America 
having been blessed in the present campaign with re¬ 
markable success, Congress has resolved to recommend 
that Thursday, December 18th next be set apart to 
be observed by all inhabitants throughout the United 
States for a general Thanksgiving to Almighty God, and 
I hereby transmit to you the enclosed extract from the 
minutes of Congress for that purpose. 

Your Excellency will be pleased to take the neces¬ 
sary measures for carrying this resolve into effect in the 
State in which you reside. You will likewise find en¬ 
closed certified copy of the minutes which will show 
your Excellency the authority under which I have the 
honor of addressing you. 


I am with great esteem and regard, sir, your Excel¬ 
lency’s most obedient and humble servant. 

HENRY LAURENS, 

President of Congress. 

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION PASSED. 

Attention was now called in Congress to the Articles 
of Confederation which had first been proposed by 
Benjamin Franklin, introduced by John Dickinson, and 
heartily endorsed by Jefferson one year before. Frank¬ 
lin was now a commissioner of the government in 
France, Dickinson was in command of a brigade in 
New Jersey, Jefferson was a member of the Virginia 
Legislature and was operating with Patrick Henry, then 
Governor of that state, in the passage of important 
measures by that body. Meantime John Adams re¬ 
signed his seat in Congress, and while on his horse in 
front of the Roberdeau house on South George Street 
preparing to ride to Boston, was informed by his col¬ 
league, Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts, that Congress 
in the court house, a few yards away, had appointed 
him a special commissioner to go as soon as convenient 
from Boston to Paris, and aid Benjamin Franklin and 
the other American commissioners there in securing a 


much needed treaty of alliance with the French govern¬ 
ment. 

The account of the surrender of Burgoyne at Sara¬ 
toga had been sent to France some time before in the 
swift sailing ship Mercury from Boston. When the 
news was received, Paris was thrown into transports of 
joy. The relations between France and England were 
already in a strained condition, and on December 12, 
1777, Vergennes, the distinguished French statesman, 
told Franklin that “ the alliance we are about to form 
with America I trust will last as long as human institu¬ 
tions shall endure.” Five days later the youthful King 
Louis XVI, in council, determined not only to acknowl¬ 
edge the independence of the United States, but to sup¬ 
port their cause. Franklin quickly responded, “The 
French nation will find in us a firm and faithful ally, 
and we hope the amity between the two nations may 
last forever.” February 3, 1778, on his twenty-fourth 
birthday, the king signed and promulgated the treaty 
of amity and commerce, which eventually became a de¬ 
fensive alliance between France and the United States, 
and sent to his new ally three million livres, about six 
hundred thousand dollars. On March 13th the rescript 
was left by the French ambassador at London, with the 


24 


British Secretary of State, announcing that “ the United 
States of North America are now in full possession of 
independence, which they had declared on July 4th, 
1776.” 

The king received Franklin and his associates at 
court, for the first time, on March 20, 1778, at the pal¬ 
ace built by Louis XIV at Versailles, and upon their 
departure he said: 

“ I wish the Congress of the United States to be as¬ 
sured of my friendship.” 

The commissioners then paid a visit to the youthful 
wife of Lafayette and were next introduced t o Queen 
Marie A n toi n oti-p _ wli r> from that time forward made 
the support of America the fashion of the French 
court. The news of the alliance soon spread all over 
Europe. It was received with special satisfaction at 
St. Petersburg, and with public favor at the court of 
Frederick the Great, of Prussia. 

Lord North of England, hastened a representative 
to Paris to seek from the American commissioners 
some alliance, but Franklin, with great reserve and 
calm dignity, replied, “ Tell Lord North and the Eng¬ 
lish government that America enjoys independence 
already.” 



On the 25th of April, 1778, Washington wrote to 
Henry Laurens, President of Congress : 

“Nothing short of independence can possibly do. 
Peace on any other terms, would be peace with war to 
follow. Our character as men and our importance as a 
nation, are opposed to coalition with England now.” 
The following day Congress assembled in special ses¬ 
sion in the Reformed Church of York, on West Market 
Street, and resolved “to hold no conference or trea- 
with any commissioners on the part of England, unless 
the government shall either withdraw its fleet and 
armies, or in positive and expressed terms acknowledge 
the independence of the United States.” At this meett 
ing Robert Morris said, “No offer ought to have a 
hearing for one moment unless preceded with an ac¬ 
knowledgment of our independence.” 

But there was good news on the way from Boston, 
having arrived there from across the ocean. These 
glad tidings, brought to York by a swift messenger 
on horse back, told of the alliance with France 
and the decision of that government to send a flee- 
and an army to aid the Americans in their strug¬ 
gle for freedom. The next day was one of rejoicing 
on the part of Congress, and all the inhabitants in 


the little capital of the nation, on the banks of the 
Codorus. 


CONWAY CABAL. 

Another event of the greatest moment took place at 
York while Congress was in session here. Soon after 
General Gates won his brilliant victory at Saratoga, he 
was invited to York, where he was received with great 
demonstrations by most of the members of Continental 
Congress. He became the popular hero of the hour 
and a faction in Congress made an effort to have Gates 
supplant Washington in command of the American 
army. In order to aid in the accomplishment of this 
purpose, Gates was made president of the Board of War 
to succeed John Adams who had been sent as a special 
commissioner to the Court of France. The entire 
membership of the Board of War was then opposed to 
Washington. This gave rise to what is known in history 
as the “ Conway Cabal.” This so-called conspiracy 
was originated in the fall of 1777 by Thomas Conway, 
an Irishman who had served in the French army. It 
rose to considerable importance in January, 1778, and 
entirely collapsed at York the following month. It was 
during the month of February that General Lafayette. 


whom Congress had recently made a major general in 
the army, was invited to York. Soon after he arrived 
here he became the guest of General Gates at a banquet. 
General Conway was present on this occasion. The 
plans were here arranged for Lafayette to take command 
of an expedition against Canada. Conway was to be 
second in command. At this banquet there were present 
many of the supporters of Gates who were opposed to 
Washington. Numerous toasts were given at this ban¬ 
quet, but the name of the illustrious hero who finally 
brought the Revolution to a successful close was not 
mentioned. It was a sagacious plan to win over to their 
support the young French hero who had volunteered to 
serve in the American army without pay. 

“ But,” says Lafayette, in his “ Memoirs,” “ at this 
juncture, feeling my friendship and loyalty to Washing¬ 
ton, I arose from my chair and without request offered 
a toast to the Commander-in-Chief of the American 
army. I then looked around the banquet table and saw 
the faces of the guests redden with shame.” 

Thus ended a famous episode in American history. 
About the same time several new delegates to Congress 
arrived, including Gouveneur Moms, of New York, 
friends of Washington. Their arrival prevented an 


affirmative vote in Congress appointing a committee, 
opposed to the Commander-in-Chief, to go and inspect 
the army at Valley Forge. Lafayette returned to his 
command under Washington, remaining during the 
whole war one of the closest friends of his commander. 

Some of the historical associations of York during 
the Revolution have thus been shown in a brief way. 
Congress assembled here in October, 1777, when every¬ 
thing was dark and gloomy, when many of the mem¬ 
bers felt as though there was no longer any hope of 
Independence. It remained in session here for the 
period of nine months, and when it adjourned to Phila¬ 
delphia in June, 1778, the condition of affairs had 
entirely changed. 

IMPORTANT TRANSACTIONS OF CONGRESS. 

Congress had passed while in session at York the 
Articles of Confederation which, when adopted by the 
sufficient number of states, made the Declaration of 
Independence a reality; received the news of the great 
and decisive battle of Saratoga; commissioned Lafayette 
a major-general in the army; received Baron Steuben, 
the military chieftain from the Court of Frederick the 
Great, made him a major-general and sent him to the 


headquarters of the army to drill the American troops 
in the improved tactics of that day; received the news 
from Benjamin Franklin at Paris that the King of 
France and his country had agreed to help us in our 
struggle for Independence; received the first of several 
contributions of money from the French Government to 
carry on the war and received the news of the arrival 
of the first French troops and fleet that came to our 
assistance. These are a few, but not all, of the import¬ 
ant transactions of Congress while in session at York. 

At no other place during the Revolution, except 
Philadelphia, was there any legislation by Congress in 
any way comparable to that transacted while in session 
at York. It is a fact, however, that sessions of this 
body were held for one day in Lancaster, Pa.; a short 
time at Princeton, N. J.; about two months in Baltimore 
and a brief period at Annapolis, Md. At none of these 
places do the journals of Congress record the passage 
of any legislation or the transaction of any business for 
the prosecution of the war in any degree commensurate 
with that done at York during the winter of 1777 and 
1778. 

DELEGATES TO CONGRESS AT YORK. 

The following is a list of the patriots of the Revo¬ 


lution who represented the different states of the Union 
while Congress was in session here: 

New Hampshire—Nathaniel Folsom, George Frost, 
John Wentworth, Dr. Josiah Bartlett. 

Massachusetts — Samuel Adams, Elbridge Gerry, 
James Lovell, John Adams, Francis Dana, John Han¬ 
cock, Dr. Samuel Holten. 

Connecticut—William Williams, Eliphalet Dyer, 
Richard Law, Titus Homer,' Roger Sherman, Samuel 
Huntingdon, Dr. Oliver Wolcott. 

Rhode Island—Henry Marchant, William Ellery, 
John Collins. 

New York—James Duane, William Duer, Francis 
Lewis, Gouveneur Morris, Philip Livingston. 

New Jersey—John Witherspoon, Dr. Jonathan 
Elmer, Abraham Clark, Dr. Nathaniel Scudder. 

Pennsylvania—Robert Morris, General Daniel Rob- 
erdeau, James Smith, Jonathan Bayard Smith, William 
Clingan, Joseph Reed. 

Delaware—Thomas McKean. 

Maryland—Charles Carroll, Samuel Chase, Benja¬ 
min Rumsey, George Plater, William Smith, James 
Forbes, John Henry, Jr. 

Virginia—Francis Lightfoot Lee, Richard Henry 


Lee, John Harvie, Benjamin Harrison, Dr. Joseph 
Jones, Thomas Adams, John Bannister. 

North Carolina—John Penn, Cornelius Harnett, 
Dr. Thomas Burke. 

South Carolina—Henry Laurens, Thomas Heyward, 
Jr., Arthur Middleton, John Matthews, Bichard Hutson, 
William Henry Drayton. 

Georgia—Edward Langworthy, John Walton, Dr. 
Nathan Brownson, Joseph Wood. 

wab of 1812. 

During the early part of the second war with Eng¬ 
land, a number of men from York enlisted in the army 
and took part in the engagements along the Niagara 
frontier. In 1814, after an invading British army had 
destroyed the Capitol and other public buildings at 
Washington, the common at York became the place of 
rendezvous for Pennsylvania troops. There were about 
10,000 soldiers encamped there at the time the British 
attacked Baltimore. Sometime before, a company of 
volunteers from York, commanded by Captain Michael 
H. Spangler, marched to Baltimore and took part in the 
battle of North Point, at which Henry Miller of York 
served as Brigadier General. Soon after the defeat of 


the British at Baltimore, the Pennsylvania troops at 
York returned to their homes and the war soon closed. 

YORK IN THE CIVIL WAR. 

The bombardment of Port Sumpter, April 2, 1861, 
was followed three days later by the proclamation of 
President Lincoln, calling for 75,000 troops. This 
aroused the patriotic ardor of the people all over the 
North. When Governor Curtin made a requisition for 
the organized military of the state, two companies from 
York, the Worth Infantry, under command of Captain 
Thomas A. Ziegle, and the York Bifles, under Captain 
George Hay, immediately responded. On Saturday 
evening, April 20, they received orders, and at 11 o’clock 
at night left on a special train toward Baltimore. They 
were at first stationed in squads at various bridges along 
the railroad as far south as Cockeysville, Maryland. In 
the meantime the First, Second and Third Begiments 
of Pennsylvania volunteers for the three months’ service 
from various cities and towns of the state passed through 
York and encamped at Cockeysville. On April 26 two 
Pittsburg regiments arrived in York, and Camp Scott 
was organized, which by May 7 had nearly 6,000 men. 
The York Bifles became Company K of the Second reg- 



-•I 




• * ' 


























































































































iment, which was organized April 21. Worth Infantry 
became Company A of the Sixteenth Pennsylvania reg¬ 
iment. Three other York county companies were as¬ 
signed to this regiment. They were the Marion Rifles 
of Hanover, Captain H. G. Myers; the Hanover Infan¬ 
try, Captain Cyrus Diller, and the York Voltiguers, 
Captain Theodore D. Cochran. When the regiment 
was organized, May 3, Thomas A. Ziegle was chosen 
colonel. The Sixteenth regiment afterward went to the 
front as part of Colonel Miles’ brigade, and the Second 
regiment was in a brigade of the Second division of 
Patterson’s army in the Shenandoah Valley. 

Thus, it will be seen, that York county promptly re¬ 
sponded to her country’s call in time of peril with the 
same patriotic ardor she had shown in the Revolution 
and in the War of 1812. The Eighty-seventh regiment 
in the three years’ service was composed almost entirely 
of York county men. Numerous other regiments had a 
large representation in their ranks, including the First 
and Twelfth Pennsylvania reserves, the Seventy-sixth, 
Ninety-first, Ninety-third, One Hundred and Seventh, 
One Hundred and Third,One Hundred and Thirtieth, One 
Hundred and Sixty-sixth, One Hundred and Eighty- 
seventh, One Hundred and Ninety-fourth, Two Hun¬ 


dredth, Two Hundred and Seventh, Two Hundred and 
Ninth regiments and the Eleventh and Twelfth Penn¬ 
sylvania cavalry. These regiments all took an active 
part in the war and served gallantly in many hard- 
fought battles. 

The great battle of Gettysburg, which decided the 
destiny of the republic and the perpetuation of the 
Union, was fought on soil for half a century part of 
York county, and the rumble and the roar of cannonad¬ 
ing were heard by the citizens of York. The extreme 
right of Lee’s army, a division of Ewell’s corps, under 
command of General Early, entered the present limits 
of this county June 27,1863, and encamped for the night 
in the beautiful Paradise Valley, ten miles west of York. 
General Early and his staff slept at a house in Paradise 
township, afterward owned by George W. Trimmer, 
about three and one-half miles east from East Berlin. 
General John B. Gordon, of Georgia, commanding a 
brigade which led the advance, encamped about four 
miles south of Early at Farmer’s postoffice, along the 
Gettysburg turnpike. He slept at the house of Jacob 
S. Altland. At this place he was visited by Chief Bur¬ 
gess David Small, A. B. Farquhar, W. L. Small, General 
George Hay and Thomas White, who were authorized 


by the Committee of Safety to enter into terms for the 
Confederate occupation of York. There were then only 
about 300 Federal troops in the town, and as they 
could make no defense were ordered to retreat to Wrights- 
ville. An agreement was entered into by which no pri¬ 
vate property was to be destroyed. General Early 
called at Gordon’s headquarters later in the evening, 
confirmed the agreement made by his subordinate and 
gave Gordon orders how to enter the town. 

CONFEDERATE FORCES IN YORK. 

It was Sunday morning, June 28, at 10 o’clock, just 
as the church bells were ringing, that Gordon’s brigade 
of 2,500 men came up West Market street, and took 
down the American flag floating in Centre Square and 
passed on through town toward Wrightsville. The 
entire Confederate forces comprising the brigades under 
Generals Gordon, Hays, Smith and Avery, numbered 
about 9,000 men. General Early took up his head¬ 
quarters in the sheriff s office in the court house and on 
the following day, June 29, he made a requisition for 
provisions and articles of clothing and one hundred 
thousand dollars. Prominent business men raised 
$28,000 and turned it over to the Confederate chieftain. 


It was not easy to raise the entire amount at once, as 
the bank deposits had been taken to Philadelphia some 
days before. Early then threatened to burn the car 
shops, and the depot building unless the balance of the 
money was forthcoming. The local railroads were then 
in the hands of the government, and some of the car 
shops were making cars for transportation of troops 
and munitions of war. General Early, therefore sent a 
squad of North Carolina troops to apply the torch to 
them. Early and the chief burgess, who was importun¬ 
ing him not to destroy the buildings, went to the depot. 
They were followed by a delegation of prominent citi¬ 
zens. Upon arriving there Philip Small stepped up to 
the Confederate chieftain and said : “ General, if you 

will not bum these shops and this depot, I will give 
you my draft on New York tomoiTow, for $50,000.” 

At this juncture, General Early saw a Confederate 
courier galloping toward him. He walked from the 
crowd and received the message, which was from his 
corps commander, General Ewell, then at Carlisle. It 
ordered him to retreat to Gettysburg as the Potomac 
army was moving toward that town. He returned to 
the depot, told the delegation of citizens that he would 
consider Mr. Small’s proposition until the following 



YORK HIGH SCHOOL. 





































morning, well-knowing that he would be out of town 
early the next day. He returned to his headquarters 
and issued the following proclamation: 

York, Pa., June 30, 1863. 

To the Citizens of York :— 

I have abstained from burning the railroad build¬ 
ings and car shops of your town because, after examina¬ 
tion I am satisfied the safety of the town would be 
endangered; and, acting in the spirit of humanity, 
which has ever characterized my government and its 
military authorities, I do not desire to involve the inno¬ 
cent in the same punishment with the guilty. Had I 
applied the torch without regard to consequences I 
would have pursued a course that would have been 
fully vindicated as an act of just retaliation for the many 
authorized acts of barbarity perpetrated by your own 
army upon our soil. But we do not war upon women 
and children, and I trust the treatment you have met 
with at the hands of my soldiers will open your eyes 
to the monstrous iniquity of the war waged by your 
government upon the people of the Confederate states, 
and that you will make an effort to shake off the revolt¬ 


ing tyranny under which it is apparent to all you are 
yourselves groaning. 

J. A. EARLY, 

Major General C. S. A. 

The nearest approach to New York and Philadel¬ 
phia that any part of the Southern army reached was 
on the evening of June 28,1863, when Gordon’s brigade 
arrived at Wrightsville and exchanged a few shots with 
the New York and Pennsylvania militia, and the famous 
City Troop of Philadelphia, under Honorable Samuel 
J. Randall. Gordon was sent there to seize the rail¬ 
road bridge which was set on fire by the Union troops, 
so it would not fall into the hands of the enemy. 
Wrightsville was the high water mark of the Southern 
Confederacy. 

On the morning of June 30, while Early with his 
division was marching out the Paradise valley toward 
Gettysburg, there was a fierce cavalry engagement on 
the streets of Hanover, between 6,000 Confederate 
troops under General J. E. B. Stuart, and 5,000 cavalry¬ 
men under General Kilpatrick, who defeated the enemy. 

VISITS FROM DISTINGUISHED PERSONS. 

It was during the dark days of the Revolution that 


Baron Steuben, a Prussian nobleman, and an aide on 
the staff of Frederick the Great in the Seven Years’ 
War, came to York while Congress was in session here. 
He was induced by St. Germain, the French Minister 
of War at Paris, to unite with the Americans in fighting 
for independence. Steuben arrived at Portsmouth, N. 
H., in December, 1777, proceeded at once to Boston, 
where he received a letter from Washington, handed 
him by John Hancock, who had lately arrived from 
York. After an enthusiastic reception by the citizens 
of Portsmouth and Boston, accompanied by Dupon- 
ceau, a learned Frenchman, and two aides, Steuben 
started for York, arriving here in February, the day 
after Lafayette had left York for Valley Forge. He 
stopped at the house of Elizabeth, wife of Colonel 
Swope, who was then in the army. John Hancock 
occupied the same building when he was President of 
Congress. Steuben was met the day after his arrival 
by a committee of Congress, of which Dr. Witherspoon, 
of New Jersey, was chairman. He appeared before 
Congress and proposed to serve in the American Army 
without pay, if the colonies failed to establish their in¬ 
dependence. He was then made a major-general in the 
American Army and sent to the encampment at Valley 


Forge, where he began his successful experience in 
training the American soldiers in the military tactics 
used in European armies. 

Thomas Paine, the noted patriot, who wrote many 
political documents which commanded the greatest at¬ 
tention during the Revolution, spent a short time in 
York as a clerk to the Congressional Committee on 
Foreign Relations. While here he wrote a part of the 
“ Fifth Crisis ” which he published at Lancaster. 

During the winter of 1777-8, Martha Washington 
passed through York. She was met here by one of 
Washington’s aides and with other attendants pro¬ 
ceeded to the headquarters of the army at Valley Forge, 
where she remained for several months. Mrs. Wash¬ 
ington also passed through York on her way from the 
army to Virginia in the year 1779. 

General Washington never came here during the 
nine months that York was the seat of government of 
the United States. He remained during this whole 
period with his army near Philadelphia and at the 
military encampment at Valley Forge. He visited 
York during his early manhood when he was a sur¬ 
veyor, on his way to the land office at Philadelphia. 
In 1791, shortly after the session of Congress had 



MONUMENT TO JAMES SMITH, 
First Presbyterian Church Yard. 


SOLDIERS 1 MONUMENT, 
Prospect Hill. 


MONUMENT TO PHILIP LIVINGSTON, 
Prospect Hill. 








closed at Philadelphia, Washington began a tour of the 
Southern States, going as far south as Charleston. 
Upon his return, after spending several weeks at Mt. 
Vernon, he started for Philadelphia, passing through 
Frederick and Hanover, arriving in York at 2 p. m., of 
July second. 

A delegation of York citizens went several miles 
west to meet him and escort him into town. Rev. Mr. 
Roth, pastor of the Moravian church of York, made the 
following interesting entry in his diary: “ Upon the 

arrival of the President all the bells in the town rang 
in honor of the event, as if the voices of the arch-angels 
were sounding in harmony and commanding attention. 
I could not repress my tears at the thought of all this. 
Indeed, I cried aloud, not from a sense of sadness, but 
from a feeling of joyfulness. In the evening there was 
a general illumination, and at the Court House in each 
pane was a light, forty-nine pounds of candles being 
used. The Independent Light Infantry, commanded 
by Captain Hay, paraded, and, being drawn up in front 
of his Excellency’s stopping place, fired fifteen rounds 
in honor of the fifteen states now in the Union.” 

The following morning Washington was called upon 
by a deputation of citizens including Colonel Hartley, 


then a member of Congress, who delivered a lengthy 
address in the course of which he said: “ The citizens 

of York cordially join in the general satisfaction and 
joy, which all the people of America feel in seeing you, 
the nation’s chief executive. We feel that there is a 
universal sentiment of regard, esteem and veneration 
for you. May the Supreme Governor of the universe 
long continue a life, so eminently distinguished in 
securing and preserving the best rights and happiness 
of the citizens of this highly favored country.” 

The President afterward handed the committee the 
following response: 

“ To the Citizens of York: 

Gentlemen I receive your congratulations with 
pleasure and I reply to your flattering and affectionate 
expressions of esteem with sincere and grateful regard. 
The satisfaction which you derive from the congeniality 
of freedom with good government which is clearly 
shown in the happiness of our highly favored country 
at once rewards the patriotism that achieved her liberty, 
and gives an assurance of its duration. That your 
individual prosperity may long continue among the 
proofs that attest the national welfare, is my earnest 


wish.” Washington made this entry in his diary: 
“After receiving and answering an address from the 
inhabitants of York, I decided to go to church. There 
being no Episcopal minister in the place, I went to hear 
morning service in the Dutch Reformed Church, which 
being in the German language, I did not understand a 
word. There was no danger of the eloquence of the 
preacher causing a proselyte of me. After service, 
accompanied by Colonel Hartley and half a dozen other 
gentlemen, I set out for Lancaster, and the following 
day, July 4, was present in that borough at the cele¬ 
bration of the fifteenth anniversary of American Inde¬ 
pendence.” 

There is no record of any other visit of Washing¬ 
ton to York except that he dined in the town in 1794, 
on his way to Philadelphia upon his return from West¬ 
ern Pennsylvania. The boat with which he then 
crossed the Susquehanna River at Wrightsville caught 
in the rocks and remained there two hours. 

In 1825, Lafayette, who was making a tour of this 
country as the “Guest of the Nation,” arrived in York 
from Baltimore, February 29. He proceeded to Har¬ 
risburg accompanied by Dr. Adam King, who the next 
year was elected to Congress from York county; Colonel 


M. H. Spangler, who so gallantly commanded the York 
Volunteers at the battle of North Point in 1814, and 
Jacob Spangler, then Surveyor-General of Pennsylvania. 
They returned to York on Wednesday, January 2, and 
upon their arrival at the turnpike gate at 4 P. M., were 
met by a battalion of volunteers composed of Captain 
Nes’ artillery, Captains Smith’s rifle company, four 
other companies under Captains Small, Barnitz, Frey- 
singer and Stuck, and a vast multitude of people from 
the town and county. The tour of Lafayette of all the 
twenty-four states then in the Union had caused a wave 
of patriotism to pass over the entire land such as had 
never before been known, and the enterprising editor of 
the York Gazette, in the issue of February 8, 1825, 
says:. 

“The people of York county poured forth over¬ 
flowing hearts of gratitude and welcome to him whose 
name is a passport to the heart of every American.” 

General Lafayette entered York in a barouche drawn 
by four gray horses, and as the procession passed 
through the principal streets, all the bells of the town 
were ringing and all the sidewalks, windows, doors and 
porticoes were filled with people, shouting their “Wel¬ 
come, thrice welcome, Lafayette.” The general and 


his suite stopped over night at McGrath’s Inn, where 
he held a reception, after which 100 persons sat down 
to a sumptuous banquet. Among the many toasts was 
the following: 

“Lafayette : We love him as a man, hail him as a 
deliverer, revere him as a champion of freedom and 
welcome him as a guest.” 

To which he responded : “ The town of York, the 

seat of our American Union in our most gloomy time. 
May her citizens enjoy a proportionate share of American 
prosperity.” 

The next day he reviewed the military and left for 
Baltimore. Some of the old soldiers of the Revolution 
“ could not receive the last adieu of the aged general 
without testifying their emotions in tears.” 

John Adams, who was one of the leading spirits of 
Congress while its sessions were held in our colonial 
Court House, visited York in June, 1800, while he was 
President of the United States. He was met on his 
approach by the cavalry commanded by Lieutenant 
John Fisher and Captain Philip Gossler’s Light Infan¬ 
try, and escorted to town, where he was received by the 
inhabitants with ringing of bells and other demonstra¬ 
tions of respect. He remained here over night and the 


following day the Borough authorities waited upon him 
and presented him with an address of welcome. Presi¬ 
dent Adams responded with the following address : 

“ To the Corporation and Inhabitants of the Borough of 

York: 

“ Fellow Citizens :—I received with much satisfac¬ 
tion this friendly address. In revisiting the great 
counties of Lancaster and York, after an interval of 
three and twenty years, I have not only received great 
pleasure from the civilities of people, which have 
deserved my grateful acknowledgments, but a much 
higher delight from the various evidences of their hap¬ 
piness and prosperity. The multiplication of inhabi¬ 
tants, the increase of buildings for utility, commerce 
and ornament, and the extensive improvements of the 
soil have everywhere given to the appearances around 
us a polish in some measure resembling those coun¬ 
tries where art, skill and industry have been exhausted 
in giving the highest finishing and the cultivation of 
the lands for many hundred years. 

“In return for your kind wishes, I pray for the 
confirmation and extension to you and your posterity 
of every blessing you enjoy. 


“John Adams; 


Shortly afterwards the President proceeded on his 
journey, escorted by the same military corps which met 
him on his arrival. 

General Andrew Jackson, accompanied by several 
officers of the army, arrived here in February, 1819, 
stopping one hour for supper at Hammersly’s Hotel. 
The same evening the party proceeded to Lancaster 
and the following day started for the United States 
Military Academy at West Point. The general and his 
associates had been appointed by President Monroe to 
visit that institution. 

General Zachary Taylor, the hero of Buena Vista, 
came to York August 10, 1849, arriving here from 
Baltimore on a train which stopped at West Market 
and Water Streets. He was enthusiastically received 
by the people of all political parties and escorted by 
the Worth Infantry, commanded by Captain Thomas A. 
Ziegle, a soldier of the Mexican War, and a delegation 
of citizens in carriages, passed up' Market Street to the 
Washington Hotel. After taking dinner at this noted 
hostelry, he held a reception and made a brief speech. He 
then proceeded on his journey to Philadelphia. General 
Taylor made his visit to York about six months after 
his inauguration as President of the United States. 


Among the other men of fame and distinction who 
honored York with a visit were Charles Dickens, the 
English novelist; Black Hawk, the famous Indian 
chief; Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, Lewis Cass, James 
Buchanan and General Ulysses S. Grant. There were 
many incidents relating to the visits of these distin¬ 
guished men which cannot be told in this brief story 
of historic York. 

Though Abraham Lincoln was never a visitor at 
York, he passed across the county from Hanover Junc¬ 
tion to Gettysburg in November, 1863. While the 
train stopped for a few minutes at Hanover, President 
Lincoln walked to the platform of the rear car, and in 
response to enthusiastic calls for a speech, addressed a 
large assemblage of people for about three minutes. 
It was the following day that he made his great speech 
at Gettysburg during the ceremonies when the battle¬ 
field was consecrated. 

Two interesting and important facts of history can 
only be referred to in this brief story. The first iron 
steamboat designed in America was made at the shops 
of Davis and Gardner, at York, in 1826. It was the 
invention of John Elgar, of York, who afterward won 
distinction as an inventor in the employ of Ross 



PENN PARK 
















Winans, of Baltimore. At the same shops in the year 
1831, Davis and Gardner made the first locomotive in 
America that burned anthracite coal. It was put into 
successful operation on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad 
and won a prize of $3,500. The inventor of this loco¬ 
motive, called “ The York,” was Phineas Davis, a noted 
citizen of York, who afterwards moved to Baltimore. 

ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY. 

The Centennial of our existence as a nation was 
celebrated amid great enthusiasm in York, July 4,1876. 
There was a paean of all the bells in town from mid¬ 
night till 1 o’clock A. M. Then followed huge bon-fires 
and a brilliant display of fireworks and the roar of guns 
and cannon. The streets were thronged with people 
and at daybreak music filled the air. The town was 
handsomely decorated and the fire companies excelled 
all former displays in tasteful and elaborate decora¬ 
tions. At 6 a. m. a vast concourse of people witnessed 
the raising of a large American flag on a pole erected 
in Centre Square. In the forenoon a parade of mili¬ 
tary companies, firemen and various orders, in all 5,000 
men, passed through the leading streets escorted by 
many bands discoursing patriotic music. Captain 


Frank Geise was chief marshal and his aids were 
Major H. S. McNair, George W. Heiges, John Black¬ 
ford and Horace Keesey. 

Following the parade commemorative exercises were 
held in Centre Square, on the site of the Court House 
in which Congress met during the Revolution. Rev. 
Dr. Loch man delivered the opening prayer; the Haydn 
Quartet, composed of Prof. H. Gipe, M. L. Van Baman, 
Henry C. Pentz and B. F. Thomas, sang “A Hundred 
Years Ago; ” Fitz James Evans read the Declaration of 
Independence, and Hon. John Gibson read an histori¬ 
cal sketch of York County. In the evening the people 
again assembled in Centre Square and listened to a 
grand chorus, led by Prof. Gipe; the reading of a 
poem, “One Hundredth Birthday,” by E. Norman 
Gunnison, and an oration by George W. McElroy. A 
splendid exhibition of fireworks on the fair grounds 
ended the day’s celebration. 

YORK BOROUGH CENTENNIAL. 

An event of special interest and importance was the 
one hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of 
York, celebrated September 24 and 25, 1887, with 
imposing ceremonies. On that occasion 30,000 visitors 


were in attendance. The town was filled with people. 
Public buildings, stores and private houses were deco¬ 
rated with flags, evergreens and bunting, and the anni¬ 
versary day was ushered in by the ringing of bells and 
the firing of cannon. During the forenoon 3,000 school 
children marched in procession through the principal 
streets. The boys wore uniform caps and the girls 
were dressed in white. They were reviewed from a 
stand in Centre Square by Governor James A. Beaver, 
who at the close of the parade delivered an address. 
He was followed by Deputy Superintendent of Schools 
Henry Houck and Prof. W. H. Shelley. Five hundred 
young ladies on a large platform sang several patriotic 
selections. During the noon hour the chimes of Trin¬ 
ity Church played national airs as well as sacred 
music. 

In the afternoon there was a parade of the military, 
Grand Army of the Republic, firemen and secret orders. 
In all there were 2,000 men in line, while thirty bands 
and drum corps furnished the music. Colonel Levi 
Maish was chief marshal. His aids were Major Ruhl, 
Captains Fahs, Greenewald and Reynolds, Dr. McKin¬ 
non, Thornton Hendrickson, Daniel Fishel and Stephen 
Wilson. After the parade the Governor held a recep¬ 


tion in the Opera House and in the evening there was 
a brilliant display of fireworks on the Public Common. 
The succeeding day there was a parade of Odd Fellows, 
Red Men, American Mechanics and a long succession 
of floats representing business houses and manufactur¬ 
ing establishments, followed by an illustration of farm¬ 
ing as it was conducted 100 years ago and today. 
When the parade ended Hon. Chauncey F. Black 
delivered an oration in the Opera House, and then 
Judge Gibson read an historical sketch of the town. 
The exercises closed by a grand chorus singing “A 
Hundred Years Ago,” and “A Hundred Years to 
Come.” 

SESQUI-CENTENNIAL OF YORK COUNTY. 

The celebration in 1899, of the Sesqui-Centennial, 
or the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the 
erection of York county, was one of the most interest¬ 
ing events in the history of York. The plan originated 
with the York Board of Trade, and at a meeting of 
citizens held May 13, 1899, a general committee was 
appointed, composed of Milton B. Gibson, President; 
Geo. S. Billmeyer, Treasurer; Houston E. Landis, 
Secretary, and M. L. Yan Baman, Is sac Rudisll, J. 



THE SECOND COURT HOUSE 


















Frank Gable, S. M. Manifold, Captain W. H. Lanins, 
Grier Hersh, John Garrety, H. E. Powell, Dr. E. T. 
Jeffers, H. C. Niles, R. F. Gibson, George W. Gross, 
and Wm. A. Froelich. This committee decided to hold 
a four days’ demonstration in the City of York on Sep¬ 
tember 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th. The ceremonies opened 
with a meeting held in the auditorium of the York 
High School on Sunday, September 3rd, presided over 
by Rev. H. E. Niles, D. D., when the religious history 
of the county was discussed by Rev. James Drummond 
and Rev. W. S. Freas, D. D. 

The celebration was formally inaugurated in an ad¬ 
dress of welcome by M. B. Gibson, chairman of the 
General Committee, on the morning of September 4th, 
at the York Opera House. The purpose of this meet¬ 
ing was to listen to an historical review of the city and 
county. Dr. E. T. Jeffers, President of the York Col¬ 
legiate Institute, presided. Addresses were delivered 
relating to the three classes of people who composed 
the original settlers of York. Hon. John W. Bittenger 
spoke of the Germans; Robert C. Bair, of the Scotch- 
Irish; and George R. Prowell, of the Friends or 
Quakers. This part of the exercises was followed by 
an address on the early history of York by H. C. Niles, 


and an original poem by "William M. Gamble. In the 
afternoon of the same day the people witnessed an im¬ 
pressive pageant composed of nearly 5,000 school chil¬ 
dren, marching to a flag raising in honor of the dedica¬ 
tion of the magnificent High School which had just 
been completed. Addresses were delivered by Hon. E. 
D. Ziegler, member of Congress from York county; 
Charles H. Stallman, President of the School Board, 
and Captain Frank Geise, Mayor of York. 

The greatest concourse of people ever assembled in 
York, possibly not less than 100,000, witnessed the in¬ 
dustrial parade on the second day of the celebration. 
This included one hundred and sixty-eight floats, be¬ 
sides the large number of men representing the indus¬ 
trial establishments and large corporations. The civic 
parade on the succeeding day was no less imposing, 
about one hundred and twenty-five companies and secret 
organizations of various kinds being in line. The people 
of York, and particularly those who had assumed the 
arduous task of preparing for the four days demonstra¬ 
tion, could justly congratulate themselves upon the 
successful outcome of their labors. 

YORK AS A BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIAL CENTRE. 

It is not to historic York alone that the attention of 


the reader is directed. This story would not be com¬ 
plete without a graphic portrayal of the business activ¬ 
ity and industrial development of modern York and its 
possibilities of future growth and prosperity. When 
the city was incorporated in 1887, it received an 
impulse of energy and enterprise which has moved for¬ 
ward with commendable progress until York at present, 
with many large mercantile establishments and 500 or 
more busy hives of industry, has taken high rank as a 
business and manufacturing centre in the Common¬ 
wealth of Pennsylvania. Could those sturdy settlers, 
who were the first to populate the town on the Codorus, 
now look upon the industry and energy that have 
asserted their power, in the rumble of ponderous 
machinery, the whistle of the high-spirited iron horse, 
the hum and whir of revolving wheels, the stately 
magnificence of some of the public institutions, and the 
improvements in modes of life and living, they would 
feel gratified that their descendants are so bountifully 
favored in this land of freedom and independence of 
which they were the hardy pioneers. 

The original area of York, as laid out in 1741, con¬ 
tained 102 acres. This ai*ea has been increased by 
various additions until at present there are within the 


city limits 2,250 acres and a population of 40,000. 
The entire valuation of real property is nearly $30,- 
000,000. 

The 500 manufacturing establishments which are 
the bone and sinew of prosperous York to-day are dis¬ 
tributed through different sections of the city. Their 
combined capital invested is $13,000,000, and the num¬ 
ber of employees 16,000. The interesting feature of 
this industrial progress is its wide diversity of manu¬ 
factured goods and the aggregate amount of shipments. 
It can justly be said, that York ranks third in the state 
of Pennsylvania in the variety of her industrial pro¬ 
ducts and in the aggregate amount of their shipments. 

WHAT THE BANKS HAVE DONE. 

This modern progress of the business and industrial 
development of York is the result of the enterprise and 
forethought of our own citizens. All the financial 
institutions within recent years have given substantial 
encouragement to persons wishing to establish new 
enterprises. If such individuals have in their posses¬ 
sion a creditable investment to make of their own, the 
banks have always exercised wise discretion and en¬ 
couraging support to advance the interests of such an 





PRESENT COURT HOUSE. 


























































establishment, when it was'[found that the projectors 
had business ability and the proper energy. In fact, 
within recent years, our financial institutions in the 
hands of men of wide experience and superior execu¬ 
tive abilities, have materially aided in causing the 
development of York and making it what it now is, a 
prosperous city with remarkable opportunities for a 
continual increased development in future years. 
What that future will be is evidenced by the great 
advancement during the last ten years. It is not 
claimed that York has ever had a boom of industry, 
but a gradual and certain growth into a condition of 
prosperity that by well directed effort in succeeding 
years, will advance her interests into achievements 
which will be universally recognized in this great age 
of material progress, never before known in the history 
of the world. Instead of sending the bank deposits to 
other cities for investment, as had been done in years 
gone by, the entire bank deposits of York and the other 
towns in this county to-day are invested at home, in the 
business and industrial establishments that have given 
this substantial condition. 

The eleven banking institutions of York having an 
aggregate deposit of $7,500,000, are the following : 


The York National Bank, founded as a state insti¬ 
tution in 1810, has a capital of $500,000 with $250,000 
surplus; Grier Hersh, President; Henry Nes, Yice 
President; John J. Prick, Cashier. 

The York County National Bank, founded in 18G4, 
has a capital of $300,000, with a surplus of $240,000; 
James A. Dale, President; Jere Carl, Yice President; 
Wm. B. Horner, Cashier. 

Pirst National Bank, incorporated in 1864, has a 
capital of $300,000, with a surplus of $100,000; Jacob 
D. Schall, President; It. H. Shindel, Cashier. 

Farmers’ National Bank, incorporated in 1875, has 
a capital of $200,000 ; Horace Keesey, President; Ed¬ 
ward P. Stair, Cashier. 

Western National Bank, organized in 1875, has a 
capital of $150,000, and a surplus of $75,000; John 
Fahs, President; Edward A. Rice, Cashier. 

Drovers and Mechanics Bank, incorporated in 1883, 
has a capital of $100,000, with a surplus of $30,000 ; 
Samuel Lichteuberger, President; James G. Glessner, 
Vice President; W. F. Weiser, Cashier. 

City Bank of York, founded in 1887, has a capital 
of $100,000, with a surplus of $75,000; Charles H. 



establishment, when it was'[found that the projectors 
had business ability and the proper energy. In fact, 
within recent years, our financial institutions in the 
hands of men of wide experience and superior execu¬ 
tive abilities, have materially aided in causing the 
development of York and making it what it now is, a 
prosperous city with remarkable opportunities for a 
continual increased development in future years. 
What that future will be is evidenced by the great 
advancement during the last ten years. It is not 
claimed that York has ever had a boom of industry, 
but a gradual and certain growth into a condition of 
prosperity that by well directed effort in succeeding 
years, will advance her interests into achievements 
which will be universally recognized in this great age 
of material progress, never before known in the history 
of the world. Instead of sending the bank deposits to 
other cities for investment, as had been done in years 
gone by, the entire bank deposits of York and the other 
towns in this county to-day are invested at home, in the 
business and industrial establishments that have given 
this substantial condition. 

The eleven banking institutions of York having an 
aggregate deposit of $7,500,000, are the following : 


The York National Bank, founded as a state insti¬ 
tution in 1810, has a capital of $500,000 with $250,000 
surplus; Grier Hersh, President; Henry Nes, Yice 
President; John J. Prick, Cashier. 

The York County National Bank, founded in 1864, 
has a capital of $300,000, with a surplus of $240,000; 
James A. Dale, President; Jere Carl, Yice President; 
Wm. B. Horner, Cashier. 

First National Bank, incorporated in 1864, has a 
capital of $300,000, with a surplus of $100,000; Jacob 
D. Schall, President; B. H. Shindel, Cashier. 

Farmers’ National Bank, incorporated in 1875, has 
a capital of $200,000 ; Horace Keesey, President; Ed¬ 
ward P. Stair, Cashier. 

Western National Bank, organized in 1875, has a 
capital of $150,000, and a surplus of $75,000; John 
Fahs, President; Edward A. Bice, Cashier. 

Drovers and Mechanics Bank, incorporated in 1883, 
has a capital of $100,000, with a surplus of $30,000; 
Samuel Lichtenberger, President; James G. Glessner, 
Yice President; W. F. Weiser, Cashier. 

City Bank of York, founded in 1887, has a capital 
of $100,000, with a surplus of $75,000; Charles H. 


Stallman, President; Geoffrey P. Yost, Vice President; 
C. T. Kraft, Cashier. 

York Trust Company, incorporated in 1890, has a 
capital of $150,000 and a surplus of $50,000. Wm. H. 
Lanius, President; Smyser Williams, Yice President 
and Trust Officer; Ellis S. Lewis, Treasurer. 

Security, Title and Trust Company, organized in 
1893, has a capital of $250,000 and a surplus of $132,- 
000. Daniel F. Lafean, President; Charles C. Frick, 
Yice President; George E. Neff, Trust Officer ; Ralph 
S. Cannon, Secretary and Treasurer. 

Guardian Trust Company, incorporated in 1903, 
has a capital of $250,000. Milton D. Martin, Presi¬ 
dent ; Jacob A. Mayer, Yice President; James W. Kil¬ 
gore, Secretary and Treasurer. 

The growth of the business interests of York are 
shown in the statistics of the City Post Office. During 
the year 1895, when the present Federal building was 
first occupied, the postal business was conducted by 
twenty-one persons and postal supplies were sold to 
the amount of $43,384. During the past twelve months 
the sale of postal supplies amounted to $76,000. There 
are now fifty employees connected with the City Post 
Office. The rapid increase in the postal business at 


York seems to demand larger facilities. A bill has 
been introduced into Congress by Hon. Daniel F. 
Lafean, asking for a government appropriation for the 
erection of a new Federal building of such size and 
dimensions as will meet the demands of modem 
progress. 

The Merchants’ Association of York, an enterprising 
and progressive body of men, of which Wm. A. Froelich 
is President and Clarence A. Geesey, Secretary, has 
taken an active interest in advocating the erection of a 
new Federal building. 

The Internal Revenue Office at York during the 
past twelve months has received $1,300,000 for the sale 
of revenue stamps on cigars, tobacco and beer, manu¬ 
factured in this district 

While the city of York has made rapid strides in 
its material progress, during the last decade, its future 
prospects are abundant with great possibilities. Elec¬ 
trical power is now a giant in advancing the material 
development of any community and our city will soon 
be connected with a large establishment which will 
furnish the power to move the wheels of industry, 
already here and thousands of others that will soon be 
erected. 


The York Haven Water & Power Company, situated 
on the Susquehanna at York Haven, is almost ready for 
operation. This plant has been erected along the site 
of the first canal built in America west of the Hudson, 
opened in 1793 in the presence of Governor Mifflin and 
a large representation from the Legislature of Penn¬ 
sylvania. The electrical plant at York Haven will 
utilize the immense water power of the falls of the 
river. On the main floor of the large building of this 
plant are twenty 750 Kilo-watt generators 1,000 horse¬ 
power each. Every one of these is connected by gear¬ 
ing to two vertical shaft water wheels of 550 horse¬ 
power capacity under a normal head of eighteen feet. 
On this floor are two 240 Kilo-watt direct current 
generators, 321 horse-power, for exciters, each of which 
will be sufficient capacity to excite the fields of the 
twenty generators. The governors for controlling the 
water wheels are also on this floor. The water wheel 
equipment is below the floor line. 

The main switch board, where all the power from 
the generators is controlled and distributed is on the 
second floor, from which point the governors to the 
water wheels are controlled. From this point also the 
power is conducted to another building about 150 feet 


away, called the transforming house, through large lead 
covered cables at a pressure of 2,400 volts. The power 
is stopped up to 24,000 volts through twelve raising 
transformers of 1,400 Kilo-watt capacity, 1,800 horse¬ 
power each, and then conducted through the necessary 
switching devices to the main line. From thence it is 
carried to the sub-station at York, a distance of 10.7 
miles. The main line is a single pole line carrying 
two circuits, each capable of transmitting 5,000 horse¬ 
power. This pole line also carries the telephone and 
signal system. At the sub-station or distributing sta¬ 
tion in York, the power is stopped down to 2,400 volts 
through six lowering transformers of 800 Kilo-watt, 
each 1,000 horse-power, and there conducted to a 
switch-board where it is distributed for general power 
purposes, operating street railways, furnishing power 
for manufacturers and for lighting. There are now in¬ 
stalled in this plant at York Haven six 1,000 horse¬ 
power generators with the necessary water wheel and 
electrical equipment. Other apparatus will be added 
as occasion demands. Already arrangements have been 
made by different manufacturing establishments at York 
to utilize electrical power as a motor as soon as the 
York Haven plant is ready for operations. With these 


prospects before us, it would seem that the industrial 
development of York is still in its infancy. The erec¬ 
tion and equipment of the York Haven plant has been 
financiered by Hon. W. F. Bay Stewart of York, a 
gentleman of rare executive and administrative abilities. 

The York County Traction Company, which owns 
and operates the York Street Railway, has become a 
very important factor in advancing the interests of 
modern York. Tracks have been laid through the 
principal streets of the city, and lines are being ex¬ 
tended to all the populous centres of York county. 
Captain W. H. Lanius is President; George S. Schmidt, 
Secretary; Ellis Lewis, Treasurer. The directors are 
William H. Lanius, George S. Billmeyer, George P. 
Smyser, Grier Hersh, J. W. Steacy, W. F. Bay Stewart 
and Wm. A. Himes. The gentlemen who direct and 
manage this enterprise possess the keenest foresight 
and mature judgment They are connected with many 
other successful business enterprises and financial insti¬ 
tutions of York. 

COURT HOUSES, PAST AND PRESENT. 

The colonial Court House erected by authority of 
the Penns in 1754—6 in Centre Square was torn down 


in 1841. The second Court House, built upon the site 
of the present one, was completed in 1840, at a cost of 
about $100,000 by County Commissioners, William 
Nicholas, John Reiman, and John Beck. This building 
being poorly ventilated, and no longer adapted to the 
increased demands of Court business, was replaced in 
1898—1900 by the present elegant structure, one of the 
most ornamental temples of justice in the State of Penn¬ 
sylvania, or any where in this country. The Commis¬ 
sioners of York county at the time of the erection of this 
Court House were George W. Atticks, Robert S. Mc¬ 
Donald, and Andrew K. Straley. This beautiful build¬ 
ing with an imposing front, supported by six granite 
columns of Ionic architecture, is a graceful ornament to 
the city of York. It is surmounted by three domes,the 
middle one rising to a height of 155 feet. The interior 
of the building is a model of architectural beauty, and 
every department is admirably adapted for the purposes 
designed. The materials used in the construction of 
this Court House are of excellent quality which makes 
it both attractive and durable. This Court House 
may stand for hundreds of years. The architect who 
designed and planned it was J. A. Dempwolf of York. 

The judges who presided over the courts of York 



GRAND PAGEANT OF COM MANDERIES EN MASSE ON MARKET STREET, MAY, 1904. 
































































































•• 








. 




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County in the order of succession since 1790, were the 
following: William Augustus Atlee, John Joseph 

Henry, Walter Franklin, Ebenezer G. Bradford, Daniel 
Durkee, Robert J. Fisher, Pere L. Wickes, John Gib¬ 
son, James W. Latimer, John W. Bittenger and W. F. 
Bay Stewart. 

James Ross, for thirty years the leader of the Pitts¬ 
burg Bar and nine years United States Senator, was 
born at Delta, and Jeremiah S. Black, the great jurist 
and statesman, spent the last twenty years of his life 
as a resident of York. 

THE SCHOOLS OF YORK. 

The City of York is noted for its superior educa¬ 
tional advantages, large and commodious public school 
buildings and excellent private institutions of learning. 
Soon after the town was founded there were parochial 
schools connected with all the churches. Bartholomew 
Moul, one of the first settlers, taught the school belong¬ 
ing to Christ’s Lutheran Church and Ludwig Kraft had 
charge of the school connected with Zion Reformed 
Church. For nearly a century thereafter the boys and 
girls of the town of York obtained their education in 
private or church schools. The Act of the Pennsyl¬ 


vania Assembly for the year 1834 established the free 
school system in the State. 

At a meeting of delegates from a number of the 
townships and boroughs held in the county Court House 
in the fall of 1834, Godlove Kane and Jacob Emmitt 
represented York, and voted in favor of the introduc¬ 
tion of the new system. The first public school build¬ 
ings owned by the town were erected in 1838. From 
1854 to 1871 the York schools were under the super¬ 
vision of the county superintendent. In 1871, William 
H. Shelley was chosen the first borough superintendent. 
With the aid and advice of an active and efficient Board 
of Education, of which Dr. Samuel J. Rouse was secre¬ 
tary, he soon established a thorough graded system of 
schools and founded the High School. During this 
period, many of the old school buildings were replaced 
by new ones which were fitted up with modern school 
desks and apparatus. The erection of school buildings 
has been continued with commendable activity, and at 
present (1904) there are 24 school buildings containing 
all the modem improvements of school architecture and 
equipment. The aggregate valuation of the school 
property in York for 1904 is $740,000. The valuation 
of school property in 1876 was $125,000. 


In 1898, the School Board purchased a site facing 
Penn Park and upon it erected for the City High School 
a building of modern architecture. It is one of the 
most imposing buildings of its kind in this country, 
costing $170,000. The large auditorium has a seating 
capacity of 1600 persons. B. F. Willis, of York, 
was the architect. C. B. Pennypacker has been princi¬ 
pal of the High School since 1903. The number of 
teachers in all the public schools is 147; number of 
pupils enrolled for 1904 is 6014. A. Wanner has been 
superintendent of schools since 1890. 

THE YORK COUNTY ACADEMY. 

The York County Academy, founded in 1785, 
through the efforts of Bev. John Campbell, rector of 
St. John’s Episcopal Church of York, for three-fourths 
of a century was the only institution of learning in 
York where the higher branches of an education were 
taught. A charter of incorporation was obtained from 
the State of Pennsylvania in 1787, the year that York 
was made a borough. The original board of directors 
was composed' of the following distinguished men: 
Colonel Thomas Hartley, President; General Henry 
Miller, Hon. James Smith, Colonel David Grier, Wil¬ 


liam Harris, Robert Hettrick and Rev. Mr. Henderson. 
In 1799 this institution was transferred to a board of 
trustees as a “ school or academy for the education of 
the youth, in the learned and foreign languages, in the 
useful arts, sciences and literature.” The York County 
Academy is one of the land marks of education west of 
the Susquehanna and has been in a prosperous con¬ 
dition since it was founded, 119 years ago. Among 
the notable men who have been instructors in this insti¬ 
tution, were Rev. John Andrews, afterward Provost of 
the University of Pennsylvania; Thaddeus Stevens, the 
great American statesman; Daniel Kirkwood, famed as 
an astronomer, and Daniel M. Ettinger, well known as 
an able surveyor and mathematician. D. B. Prince 
served forty-five years as an instructor and Rev. Stephen 
Boyer was principal for a quarter of a century. From 
1866 to the time of his death in 1889, George W. Ruby 
was at the head of this institution. He was succeeded 
by George W. Gross. This time-honored and success¬ 
ful institution for the past few years has been in charge 
of E. E. Wentworth as principal 

THE YORK COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE. 

The York Collegiate Institute was founded in 1873 
















by the late Samuel Small, Sr. Under his direction a 
three-story building with mansard roof was erected, and 
fitted up with the best of school appliances. Mr. 
Small conveyed the whole property to a Board of 
Trustees forever, and provided a liberal endowment. 
This endowment was afterward increased by his widow, 
Mrs. Isabel Cassat Small, who also presented the insti¬ 
tution with a library, which was named in honor of her 
father, David Cassat, a noted lawyer of York. 

The original building was destroyed by fire in 
December, 1885, within five months after the death of 
the founder, and the year following a new building was 
erected and completely furnished and equipped by his 
nephews, George Small, W. Latimer Small and Samuel 
Small, as a memorial to their lamented uncle. Rev. Dr. E. 
T. Jeffers has been President of this institution since 1893. 

The Historical Society of York county was organ¬ 
ized March 26, 1895, and became vigorously active in 
1902. Since that date the Society has occupied a large 
room on the third floor of the new Court House, where 
an interesting and valuable collection of souvenirs, 
mementoes, documents, portraits, views and books has 
been classified and arranged. This society has become 


a potent factor in developing the intellectual activity of 
the city and county and now has nearly 300 members. 
The presidents in the order of succession have been 
the following : Rev. Henry E. Niles, D. D., Jere Carl, 
Hon. John W. Bittenger and Michael B. Spahr. The 
officials of the society for the year 1904 are: Michael 
B. Spahr, President; A. B. Carner, Vice President; A. 
Wanner, Treasurer; Miss Mary L. Fisher, Correspond¬ 
ing Secretary; Charles A. Hawkins, Recording Secre¬ 
tary ; Rev. T. T. Everett, D. D., Captain W. H. Lanius, 
George P. Smyser, J. W. Steacy, Rev. E. T. Jeffers, D. 
D., and Rev. C. E. Walter, D. D., Trustees, and George 
R. Prowell, Curator and Librarian. 

The 51st Annual Conclave, Pennsylvania Knights 
Templar, held in York, May 23-25, 1904, was one of 
the most imposing ceremonies ever witnessed in this 
city. Gethsemane Commandery, No. 75, and York 
Commandery, No. 21, received and entertained about 
2000 visiting Knights, many of whom were accompanied 
by their wives and daughters. The ball in the Main 
Building at the Fair Grounds, the parade through the 
leading streets of York and the installation of Grand 
Officers in the Auditorium of the High School, were 
the leading features of this Conclave and will long be 
remembered by every person who saw them. 


The author is under obligations to E. W. Spangler, Esq., and McElhinny, Susong & Co., for the illustrations in this book. 

47 



Ulbcrcin Vork Kla$ first. 


York was the first town laid out west of the Sus¬ 
quehanna River. 

First military company in Pennsylvania for the 
purpose of resisting the encroachments of Great Britain 
was organized at York in 1774, with James Smith, a 
future signer of the Declaration of Independence, as 
captain. 

First military company from west of the Hudson to 
join the American army at Boston, after the battle of 
Bunker Hill, went from York. 

First armed and equipped company in Pennsylvania 
to answer President Lincoln’s first call for troops, went 
from York. 

First National Thanksgiving Proclamation was issued 
at York. 

The Articles of Confederation were passed in Con¬ 
tinental Congress at York. 

The first money sent by the King of France to aid 
the cause of Independence was received by Congress 
while in session at York. 

First discussion in Congress relating to pensions 
for American soldiers took place at York. 

First discussion in Congress on the slavery question 
took place at York. 


First Pennsylvania lawyer admitted to practice be¬ 
fore the Supreme Court of the United States was a 
member of the York County Bar. 

First Lutheran, as well as the first Protestant 
Church west of the Susquehanna was organized at 
York. 

The first synodical meeting west of the Susquehanna 
was held in the house of Jacob Westhaeffer of Kreutz 
Creek. 

First pipe organ west of the Susquehanna was 
made in York. 

First Classical School west of the Susquehanna was 
founded at York. 

First printing press west of the Susquehanna was 
erected at York. 

First canal west of the Hudson River was opened 
near York. 

First iron steamboat in America was built at York. 

First locomotive in America to bum anthracite coal 
was built at York. 

First steel springs used in America were placed on 
the above mentioned locomotive. 

The inventor of railway switches and turntables 
was a citizen of York. 


48 



FIGURE OF JUSTICE IN FIRST COURT HOUSE 


























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